Overshoe.



B. A. HUNTER.

OVERSHOE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21.1911.

Patented July 28, 1914.

J'iwrew f0 7".

5.420777% fri'aim- [M 'gww ELI A. HUNTER, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

OVERSHOE.

Specification of Letters latent. PatentedJuly 28, 1914,

Application filed September 21, 1911. Serial K0. 650,866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELI A. HUNTER, a

citizen of the United States of America, and

resident of Des Moines, Polk county, Iowa, haveinvented. a new and-useful Overshoe, of which the following is a specification;

The object of this 'invention'is to provide improved means for retaining an overshoe on a shoe. 7

A. furtherobject of this invention is to provide improved means for maintaining a snug fit of the mouth margin of an overshoe to a shoe.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved means to prevent tearing the mouth margin of an overshoe during the operation of placing or removing the same relative to a shoe.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of an overshoe embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an opposite side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a section on the indicated line 33 of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale.

In the construction of the device as shown I may em loy any desired material, such as india rub er, combinations of indie-rubber and fabric or leather, or combinations of india-rubber and other substances. The overshoe may be made of any desired shape and size. A sole 10, heel 11, shank 12 and upper 13 may be made in any desired form and of any desired construction as my invention does not relate specifically to or require material change of these elements. The counter 14 of the overshoe is relatively higher than in the ordinary construction and has its upper margin located relatively further forward than is now common in this art. In the ordinary construction of overshoes of this type (commonly known as rubbers, arctics, storm-rubbers and clinchers) the counter extends only to the top of the counter of the shoe on which it is worn, while in my construction the upper portion 14" of the counter extends above and is curved abruptly inward in a plane above the counter of the inner shoe and overlaps on the back thereof. The abrupt inward curvature of the counter ortion 14 and its extension into a plane a ove the counter of the inner shoe forms a hook adapted to grasp and engage the back of the inner shoe above the counter thereof. I have illustrated the upper 13 and counter 14 as constructed of an outer sheet of rubber or composition containing rubber and an inner sheet 15 of fab- 'ric. I have provided a strengthening strip or web '16 between the outer sheet and inner sheet 15 and confined by connecting the margins of said sheets. This strengthening strip or web 16 is arranged in semi-circuiar form and extends around the upper portion and rear of the counter in the extension 14 thereof. This strengthening strip or web 16 may be made of tapeor any suitable fiat material and is arranged adjacent to and approximatelyparaliel with the upper mar gm of the counter. It is the function of the strengthening strip orv web 16 to prevent stretching of the counter. I form notches 1'7, 18 between the upper 13 and counter 14 opening to the mouth of the overshoe and on opposite sides thereof. In these notches 17, 18 I arrange gores 19, 20 of elastic material, preferably of india rubber. Side margins of the gores 19, 20 preferably are introduced between the outer rubber sheets of the upper and counter and the inner fabric sheet 15 thereof and are secured in any desired manner, such as by cementing.

It is the function of the gores 19, 20 to permit the mouth of the overshoe to be expanded as to length in placing or removing said overshoe relative to an inner shoe, without tearing the mouth margin of the overshoe. The gores 19, 20 have the further function of contracting the mouth margin of the overshoe on the inner shoe, in use, and applying yielding pressure to hold the upper marginal portion '14 of the counter against the back of the inner shoe and in position to prevent accidental remove thereof. Because of these functions of the gore I prefer to make them of a superior quality ofelastic material, which of course should conform in appearance to the outer surface of the upper and counter. The ends of the strengthening strip or web 16 are secured, as by cementing, to the rear ends of the gores 19, 20. In removing this overshoe from an inner shoe it is necessary to move the central portion of the upper margin 14 of the counter 14 rearwardly by manual force so as to carry it outward and permit it to be moved past the upper margin of the counter of the inner shoe. In like manner it is desirable to hold the marginal portion l4" reari iiirdly in placing the overshoe on an inner shoe. Either of these manual operations is permitted by the expansiblecharacteristic of the gores 19 20 and when such manual operations are relaxed the gores immediately contract so that the parts are-brought to'norinal positions.

Any suitable stifi'ening'means may be applied to the sides of the upper 13 and for such purpose I have illustrated strengthen ing stri s or webs 21, 22extending ob-r liquely rom forward portions of the gores 19, 20 to the sole '10.' The strengthening strip or webs21,"22 may bemade of an suitable flat material 'suchas tape andv pre erably are confined wholly between vthe outer sheet of the upper and, the inner 'isheetlfi thereof. In use the strengthening strips or webs 21, 22 prevent undesirable stretching of the upper adjacent to the gores 19, 20.

I claim as my invention v 1. An overshoe having an upper, counter. and sole, elastic gores between and connecting said upper and counter on either side, sa1d counter being extended upwardlyand inwardly and formed with an internal strengthening strip or Web adjacent its upper margin, said strengthening strip or web being connected with and terminating at the rear ends of said gores.

2. An overshoe having an upper,. eounter,

and sole, elastic gores between and connecting saidupper"and'counter on either side, said counter being extended upwardly and inwardly and being formed with an internal strengthening strip or webadjacent-its up permargin, said strengthening strip or web I terminating at. the rear ends of said gems,-

the upper being formed with separate 7 strengthening strips which are'imbedded in the sides of the upper and extend from the forward ends rof the gore obliquely toward the sole of the overshoe. v t p I Signed by me at Des Moinesi owaythisfi tent-h day of April-,191-1.

Ema; HUNTER; Witnesses: s

l 'SrG. SWEET,

EARL M. SINCLAIR. 

